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I'm not certain OBD and Dan belong on this list of teams under pressure in 2026 - 10 College Football Teams Under the Most Pressure Entering Spring Practice for 2026 - Yahoo Sports

More NIL needed is the reality from here on out for whomever captains the ship.

I have a feeling that this is going to get a lot worse before it gets better. There were rumors flying around just over a year ago that Oregon’s NIL budget for men’s hoops was around $3M. I hope that is not true, but if it is, Oregon is no where near being market competitive.

At some level there is a logic here. Evans and Shelstad were going to require NIL increases, and yet were not enough to get to the Tourney next year. Plus, we wouldn't have had any NIL budget to speak of after paying those two with raises. And, let's be honest, neither of them are NBA draft locks at this point. Now, go all in with the full NIL budget on a handful of smart veterans who are coachable and will play with some passion and team buy-in. They probably won't make the tourney either but at least they will be more fun to root for than this year's team.

I appreciate what Dana has done for the program but geez, I gotta think the players get tired of his negativity. Reporter: Wow coach you won by 30...it's gotta feel really good Altman: Yeah but our defensive intensity wasn't there, we could've rebounded better, and we missed some easy shots. We need to get better! Maybe behind the scenes he's different but if I continued to hear how bad I was, I'd start believing it. I'm certainly not a Calipari fan but he gets 5 stars and they're gone after a year. Dana gets them and they don't even improve in years 2, 3, 4 and even 5 in Bittle's and KJ's case for the most part.

I'd way rather Dana gracefully retire rather than eventually be forced out. The end of the Kent era was ugly. I loved Ernie but when it was time, it was time. I think a young eager Lanniningesque coach is what's needed to return to competitive basketball. I absolutely love hoops but I've never been so indifferent to the team than the last couple years. Something needs to happen and I hope it does in the right way.

Since they are flying down for a big non-conference series this weekend with UC Santa Barbara....Our Beloved Ducks went early to play two mid-week games against UC San Diego. While the Tritons are 9-11, they did get a game off of No. 1 UCLA in the first week of college baseball a month ago. I have no idea who either team is starting at pitcher, although my guess is Ryan Featherston--since he did not pitch over the weekend. Let's get another win streak going! Ryan Featherston

Fire sale. Can't really blame Shelstad and KJ. DA gets to try and rebuild from the ground up, so I imagine 2026-27 will be a repeat of this season and that won't turn out well. Heard that this is essentially an NIL issue and donors are not enthusiastic about the current regime.

Oregon Duck fans react to Jackson Shelstad entering transfer portal https://duckswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/ducks/mens-basketball/2026/03/24/oregon-basketball-jackson-shelstad-transfer-reaction/89305607007/

Oregon had to keep two guys on the roster going into next season - Evans and Shelstad - And they lost both. Is Dana going to be able to find 5 legit starters in the portal?

Next man up! Let the fallout begin.

Yep, if I'm Dana, I'm leaving the hardwood for the fairway, metal woods, and the 19th hole. 😎

Does make one wonder if he's already conveyed something to players? Doubt it though. Too much risk for a leak.

There is an interesting column in The Athletic about "What has happened to Cinderella?" The author points out 2-3 factors. Among them: Realignment. Teams like Houston, Cincinnati didn't use to be in Power 5 basketball conferences. Now when they win it is a Power 5 win, not a mid-major upset. The upper-tier mid-majors have realigned themselves into Power 5. There is more Power 5 depth. Obviously, the no-wait transfer portal. Iowa's upset over No. 1 seed Florida included 4 guys who played the prior year for Drake and the guy who made the winning shot came from Robert Morris. Those 5 guys would have been wearing low-mid-major jersey's a year ago. Obviously, NIL has created some transfers as well. The best talent is moving from Cinderella to Power 5. The distribution of talent has affected the absence of some traditional blue-bloods. These schools are not in Sweet 16: Kentucky, Kansas, Gonzaga, N. Carolina, UCLA, Indiana, Syracuse. Losing Kwame and Shelstad is a BIG blow. But, there are several examples in this year's Sweet 16 of programs that have reinvented themselves. The question becomes, does Oregon currently have the staff (and NIL) that can reinvent? In the games I've watched, there may be more good players spread across college basketball than there has ever been. Can/will Oregon contend for them? The "Cinderella problem" also has implications for the Tournament. If there are fewer legitimate Cinderella programs, then we should not be surprised when the at-large selections are largely taken by Power 4 conferences, and teams on the margin such as those in the New Pac may be relegated to a slot for the conference champion only. Or, perhaps, this is a reason to justify expanding the Tournament beyond 68 teams? Open new at-large slots to replace the ones consumed by the Power 4?

Altman's turn...

Michigan is the No. 1 seed in the Men's NCAA Hockey Tournament. ESPN.comNCAA men's hockey roundtable: Teams to beat, players to w...Our experts analyze the NCAA bracket, including making their picks for the Frozen Four. Wisconsin won the Women's Ice Hockey Tournament https://uwbadgers.com/news/2026/3/22/womens-hockey-Wisconsin-claims-ninth-national-championship_ Badgers coach Mark Johnson extends his record with his 9th championship, all at Wisconsin, where he played college hockey before playing on the Miracle on Ice team in 1980, and then in the NHL. Penn State won its 5th consecutive Men's Wrestling title, scoring a record 181.5 points, which broke Penn State's 2024 record of 177 points. https://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/article/penn-state-wins-fifth-consecutive-wrestling-national-championship-with-4-wrestlers-earning-individual-titles-134637093.html 1 seed UCLA, 2 seed Michigan, and 4 seed Minnesota advanced to the Women's Tournament Sweet 16. In baseball guru Charles Fischer's world, UCLA baseball is ranked No. 1, with USC 10th and Oregon No. 17. In college softball, at 17, Oregon shares the same ranking as the baseball team, and No. 6 Nebraska, No. 8 UCLA, and 16 Washington are also in the Top 25. ESPN.comCollege softball rankings: 2026 NCAA Week 7 Top 25 pollCheck out our Top 25 poll, plus the player of the week. Track and Field - Oregon's Men's and Women's both finished 2nd in the NCAA T&F Outdoor Championship. https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/oregon-men-women-finish-second-004113935.html Even without CW network coverage, it's great to be B1G! 😍

On3Oregon guard Jackson Shelstad plans to enter transfer portalOregon guard Jackson Shelstad plans to enter the transfer portal, a source told On3.

Fingers crossed and wood knocked - YardbarkerBig Ten has golden opportunity to end 26-year title droug...The Big Ten's never had a chance to end its men's NCAA Tournament championship drought quite like this.

Returning Production for B1G teams - Note that in 2025, Penn State and Clemson were among the leaders in returning production. Maryland is No. 1 in the B1G and 2nd in the nation. But other than QB Washington, what team wants the 2025 players who turtled back in 2026? Twerps do not = Terrifying Terps. https://duckswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/ducks/football/2026/03/24/oregon-football-big-ten-returning-production/89294693007/?utm_source=smg-duckswire-strada&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=SMGbaseline&utm_term

What happens next is going to send a clear message on how invested Oregon is in the future of men’s basketball. They need a minimum of 3 starting caliber players and a few rotation guys. And that is assuming that Ariza can come in and start right away.

Interesting, slightly tongue-in-cheek article up on The Athletic's ($ Wall) Until Saturday. Basketball power Indiana has become Tom Osborne's Nebraska football, and Nebraska has become Bob Knight's Indiana basketball. Like Curt Cignetti at Indiana, Nebraska basketball coach Fred Hoiberg used transfers to build the program, starting before the portal came into existence. Fred's son Sam, who played high school basketball in Lincoln, Nebraska, did not receive a D1 offer and walked on to play for his Dad. Sam is now a Senior and an effective starter at point guard. Nebraska is a slight -1.5 favorite over Iowa. The two teams split during the regular season, with both teams winning close games at home.

Interesting back story on coaches Tom Izzo and UConn's Dan Hurley. AP NewsTom Izzo gave Dan Hurley advice after Lakers offered UCon...Tom Izzo has turned down multiple opportunities to coach in the NBA, including with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks.

I hate to see him go, but don't blame him a bit for leaving. There isn't a single player on the team that I would worry about leaving, including Shelstad. How do we know his injured hand won't require surgery later on. I have no idea what Coach Altman is going to do, but the program needs a complete overhaul. Hope to hear some positive news coming out of Eugene.

Point spreads for and a discussion of the eight Sweet 16 match-ups - https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/betting/article/2026-ncaa-tournament-odds-picking-every-sweet-16-193944870.html